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I simply couldn’t let summer come to a close without taking one honest to goodness stab at dairy free ice cream. And I’m not talking about a stab that kind of sort of tastes like ice cream but still makes me long for the real thing. I’m talking about the “holy mother of Mary that’s the best dang ice cream I’ve had in a long time and I demand proof to the contrary that it’s dairy free” kind. That’s what I aimed for. No less would suffice. And honestly? I’m still pinching myself to make sure I’m not crazy, but dag gone it, I think I’ve done it. This one’s a winner. You know you’ve done something right when your child who can still eat dairy actually requests that you brew up another batch of the milk free version.
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First up, you all are awesome. Thank you so much for the kind words, the valuable information sharing and the general feeling of support. If nothing else, it makes the journey a bit easier and a whole lot more interesting knowing you’re not the only one on board the train. We’ve hit week six of the change and it feels like the hill is starting to turn back down again. I’ve figured out the perfect pancake, tracked down a couple gluten free granola bars we all like in addition to making our own and, of course, baked up a batch of chocolate chip cookies. Almond milk is my new friend and the boys are once again relishing in their daily morning time smoothie sans yogurt.

Let me start by saying that, when I first heard of avocado ice cream, I was a bit skeptical about the whole idea. After all, in this house avocados are for guacamole and pretty much solely guacamole. Sure, the occasional slice may make it on a sandwich or get dropped into a salad, but the majority of the time it’s “green sauce”, as my seven year old Alex affectionately calls it, for this family.

So picture this…. one day you’re sitting on your couch, rump firmly planted into the cushion, checking your blog email when out pops an invitation to create a recipe for an upcoming movie. And not just any movie mind you. We’re talking The Croods; a Dreamworks animation, 3D, “croodatiously” awesome kind of flick.

With Memorial Day officially in the tail lights, it’s time to begin ushering in the warm weather season. The boys have one week of school left and then we turn off the alarm clocks and turn on the lazy days of summer. Well… maybe not so lazy if you’re in this family. We’re taking a week to recover and then it’s full steam ahead with camps, travels and summer school programs. This year we’ll be coasting everywhere from Delaware to Hilton Head to Minneapolis and back again. I’m actually going to be attempting my first overnight drive cross country with all three boys and no husband in tow for moral support (and associated heavy lifting). Wish me lots and lots of luck; I’ll be fortunate to make it out in one piece.

It’s no secret that I love my oven. Breads, cakes, casseroles you name it. So many tasty foods were just meant to be placed into that insulated metal box and heated to 350 degrees. Unfortunately, higher outside temps and oven use don’t always mix, so as springtime weather comes to a close, I find myself looking for alternative ways to create dishes that don’t involve baking.